mmooney’s Recent Comments

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  Dear M.Sc., P.Geol.,

  It's incredibly ironic for you to talk about a "non-scientific response" when the huge waste of space that you posted offers no facts whatsoever. 

  You do, however, manage with great aplomb to regurgitate the same conjecture and opinion voiced by your conservative brethren.  How is it in the echo chamber?

  And speaking of conflicts of interest, I'm sure the fact your Dr. Gray is a coal chemist has nothing to do with his skepticism.

  I'm not sure what type of proof would do it for you, so if you could expound on that, it would be helpful.

  On Joe Klein compares Van Jones to ‘white supremacist,' 'Nazi' posted 2 months, 1 week ago 14 Responses

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  Apparently copy-paste doesn't have a character limit.

  In your assertion that it is all a liberal conspiracy, I have a good profile picture for you.

  Indeed, let us hope that science will prevail.

  On Joe Klein compares Van Jones to ‘white supremacist,' 'Nazi' posted 2 months, 1 week ago 14 Responses

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  I agree that Joe Klein went over the top in his demonization of Van Jones.  However, I also think that this article did not accurately capture the point that Klein was trying to make - that Jones' past makes him a political liability. 

  Yes, part of this is about avoiding distractions with health care reform currently on the line, but extend this out to the upcoming energy debate.  For all his eloquence, even moderates are going to be suspicious of a guy who, even a 15 ago, identified with communism.  It would be another chink in the armor that the climate movement cannot afford.  Yes, it's partly politics, but it's also reality.

  I am very much a proponent of Jones' green jobs crusade, especially his attempts to use them as a means to help put underprivileged people to work. But anyone who denies that past admissions of being a black nationalist and a communist make someone a good political spokesperson is bordering on the delusional.

  This naturally leads to the question of why Obama selected him in the first place.  I really doubt someone was setting him up to fail, but someone also wasn't doing their job in vetting the background of presidental appointees.

  The consensus seems to be that this resolution is a decent salvage effort for both Obama and Jones.  But let's at least acknowledge that while Jones has done a great deal of good, there are also some fairly radical views in his past that can't just be swept under the rug.

  On Joe Klein compares Van Jones to ‘white supremacist,' 'Nazi' posted 2 months, 1 week ago 14 Responses

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  David,

  I'd be curious to know the perspective you (or anyone else for that matter) have on how this reaction from Corporate America and the American public compares to that in the EU when the similar legislation was proposed.

  My knee-jerk reaction is that corporations have much more entrenched influence with public opinion (such as concern over price hikes, job losses, etc) than the government does for general well-being initiatives (which as unknown entities are much more difficult to quantify).

  Basically, do you think opposition like what you describe above is a result of differences in the attitudes of the general public or is it a difference of how institutions (corporate, political) are embedded in that social fabric?

  On This "Energy Citizen" also wants a word posted 3 months ago 1 Response

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  Ellen,

  Thanks for your comments, and I hope your book gets some serious attention.  You certainly make some compelling points, especially with regard to cheap labor.  It would be a sad irony if the primary consumers of these cheaper goods (the US middle class) are the catalyst leading corporations to chase cheap labor, unwittingly undermining themselves in the process.

  One point on which I am curious is the statement that "since much of what IKEA sells is not made to last (and some of its advertising promotes the idea of disposability) one has to question whether its business plan is sustainable."

  Do you believe this refers to resource sustainability (namely that eventually the raw materials will disappear)?  I ask because one could also make the counter arguement that "heirloom" items make less business sense; a saturated market would all but wipe out demand. 

  I would think the ideal business case would involve design for environment principles where the materials for a disposable product could be readily (and cost effectively) captured and recycled.  That maintains the customer cycle without pillaging natural resources for a truly closed loop.

  Thanks again.

  On Our addiction to cheap stuff has become very expensive, new book argues posted 3 months ago 24 Responses